It's been fun finding and
collecting these "toys".
I am
selling/auctioning my collection.
I have: Japan, German, Austrian -
Berloques; USA, 1930's Dosick
& Fisher Firesure
(Mother of Pearl Grips, RARE
"PAT.PEND.J.M.F.CO"); German "Kobold", "D.R.G.M." (RARE,
Under-Hammer, w/ Bakelite Grips), Xythos Six-shot, Xythos
Single-shot, 2mm pinfires, in Nickel & Gold Plated,
Keychain, &
a JAPAN, 1950's "Little Atom"
(Gold-Plated, MOP Grips, MOP Brass
Pushrod & Square Pearl "BUTTON"?),
in a Fitted, Cased Set (Crushed Blue Velvet, Fine Inlaid Wood).
[I will be selling my miniature pistols & cap guns,
cap bombs, cap canes, "other", etc. too.]
I use a SONY Mavica (great close-ups!) to picture the
items in 640x480 resolution, as I still get compliments
on the "accuracy". I still have the original
pictures of most I found in auctions though. Maybe you
old timers will recognize the "one that got
away". Follow my links below, or feel free to ask me
for any additional pictures.
I learned much about my items found in (eBay) auctions,
estate sales, flea markets and garage sales; from
immensely helpful web sites by
Derek F. Dredge, Bob Urso, et al; from valuable
reference books used for identification. I recommend them
and these three books, which I will keep to remember my
"treasures".
#1 - "Miniature Arms"
by Merrill Lindsay 1979
#2 & #3 - "Editions 1 and 2 of "The
Tiniest Guns",
Miniature and Berloque Pistols - by Bob Urso
The first edition of "The
Tiniest Guns" was put together with the
help of many collectors to fill a need for information on
2mm pinfire, rimfire and Berloque pistols. It was only 64
pages."
"The new, revised Second Edition doubled in size to
128 pages, and over 500 images. All of the chapters have
been expanded, and there is much new information on the
guns of Austria, Austrian Rifles, Austrian Revolvers,
Austrian Automatics, France & Belgium Revolvers,
Germany, German Revolvers, German Rifles, Japan, Japanese
Rifles, Mexico, U.S.A., Unmarked, Customized & One of
a Kind, Cases, Ammunition, Patents, Bibliography,
Miniature Arms Collectors/Makers Society, Index."
~
"FYI" ~
I bought
this on August
12, 2003
from a California seller. Patricia's description
is as follows, verbatim:
"This listing is for a
vintage miniature mother-of-pearl handled pin
fire cap pistol that comes in its own little
wooden box. It has a mother-of-pearl handled ram
rod and a mother-of-pearl shell holder...no
shells. On the top of the little wooden box is an
inlay of a bird. Box measures 2-3/4" x
1-7/8". Pistol is marked Japan on one side.
A unique little piece and all in excellent
condition."
|
This exact model was not in either of Bob Urso's two books, which I had already
purchased in February 2003. I also tried to
identify this pinfire on Derek F. Dredge's site.
As the pistol did not appear there under
"Japan" or as a "Cased Set",
I e-mailed Mr. Dredge about it. The seller
thought the button was a "shell holder...no shells", Derek did not say
what it was for, and the four holes although
rather large are not 2mm in size capable of
holding ammo.
The closest pinfire I could find in Bob's book is
a "J3c - Little Atom Square
Butt OAL 1-3/4, gold plated brass,
mother-of-pearl grips."
From The Tiniest
Guns,
A catalog for collectors of 2mm pinfire and
rimfire miniatures, By Bob Urso, Second Edition With Twice As
Much Information. (December 2002.)
I am assuming like a J3a that a J3c is vented out the bottom. Page 52 in his book
shows, "Several different counter
displays..." The Little Atom for $2.95 is
interesting in that although it shows MOP grips
and a drilled hammer spur, the advertisement is definitely showing
explosive cap gases being vented out the bottom. From this I can not
determine the OAL either.
|
~ The
Auction ~
eBay,
THIS IS
NOT A FIREARM - NOR CAN IT BE MODIFIED TO FIRE
LIVE BULLET AMMUNITION!
It is not being offered
to, nor intended to be sold to minors.
Someone truly loved his or her "LITTLE ATOM" pistol as a gem
piece of JEWELRY. Just look
at the construction of the box: from the
simple little
flying bird inlay to the intricate mitering on the fine grain wood corners, the tea colored wood staining, steel slotted screws, brass locking latch pin and piano-hinge hardware. I am assuming the age
of this precious box to be 40-50+ years old. The wooden box has a
firm, form fitted royal blue velvet interior to
hold three pieces in place. There are no rips, tears
or deterioration of the material. The pinfire gun
lies with its left side marked "JAPAN" down and the right
side with a mirror-like highly polished
gold-plated side facing up. The handles on both
sides are covered with choice, multicolored or
hued, dazzling, and white mother-of-pearl grips. It is by all appearances
in UN-fired,
condition
probably cased when brand new. I had a "Mighty
Mite" as my first
pinfire with the dimple hold closure system like
this one has, it is tight like just bought, has
not been excessively hinged open and closed by
me, nor dry fired against the barrel. It is in crisp clean
shape as mint as you will ever find.
This "LITTLE
ATOM"
pistol has the most desirable
THROUGH
BORE BARREL
Over
All Length
is 1-9/16"
(3/16" shorter),
with
a more Compact
Barrel Length of 5/8".
It does not
have a top vented, bottom vented,
or both sides vented barrel,
as the 1-3/4" long models and even later
genre have.
The 1-1/8"
Brass
Ramrod
has a gorgeous white mother-of-pearl knob that
reflects light from two opposing hemispheres. The
Handmade 1/2" Square Button a bit out of square
actually, is made of black mother-of-pearl and is
an added Mystery. Since the hammer has a
hole drilled in it, maybe the owner intended to
tie a silk cord from the little derringer to the Button? Then the Button could be sewn to
clothing or put through an existing buttonhole.
Like I said, it is a Mystery to me.
There are six 400 x 300 pictures posted here on
eBay and 13 larger 640 x 480 ones hosted on the
link below. Please e-mail me with pertinent
questions. Thank you if you have read my
description thus far, it is my opinion that this
is a RARE find especially in this
cased condition, desirable, needing to be in your
collection or next book. The gun may be a
mass-produced early example, or RARE. The box in this cased
set may be a homemade one-off, unique RARE example either designed
for, or made into what you see here. I wish I
knew more about the pinfire, when, where or who
did create the box, ramrod and button but I do
not. Had I made them I would have signed, or,
initialed and dated the UN-marked box. I have not
ever seen one before or since 2003. I will say
that quite honestly, I do not want to sell it.
But the reserve price is fair and here is your
chance to make it yours.
|
Shipping
& Handling $5.00 in Priority Mail box.
Insurance
is extra.
NO
PAYPAL!
|
